Sewer-opening apparatus.



J. ALDER, SR.

.SEWER OPENING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1917. 1

1,225,?39, Patented May15,1917.

main earn JACOB ALDER, SR, or s'r. LoUIs, MISSOURI.

SEWER-OPENING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB ALDER, Sn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have mvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewer-Opening Apparatus, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved sewer-opening method, and apparatus, and consists in the novel subject-matter hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for opening-up sewers and drains which have become stopped by obstructions lodging therein, whereby the expense and trouble of digging up the sewer or drain will be obviated.

A further object of my invention is to simplify the methods and apparatus which have heretofore been used, and to provide a method of and apparatus for opening stopped sewers and drains which shall be of low cost and highly efficient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sewer and drain opening apparatus which shall consist of but two principal parts, which are light and portable.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lower end of my guiding-tube, with the flexible cork-screw tool located therein.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lower end of my guiding-tube, showing the'guidingslot at the lower end thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same, showing the long guiding-slot, in the same, at a diametrically-opposite point, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of a drain or sewer, with my improved apparatus located therein.

The numeral 1 indicates a common sewer or drain pipe, having the usual riser 2 and trap, or gooseneck 3.

To remove any obstruction from the pipe 1, all that is necessary to be done in the practice of my method is to first insert a flexible cork-screw tool into and almost Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Serial No. 140,983.

through a guiding-tube or pipe 4, in about the following described manner, t0-w1t:

Said cork-screw tool is composed of a r long, flexible, wire or cable 5, which may be termed a flexibleshaft for the reason that it is used to rotate a cutting and grappling tool 6 located at the inserted end of the said wire or cable, said cutting and grappling tool being in the form of a cork-screw, in the present instance.

The said guiding-tube 4 is composed, in the present case, of a metallic pipe of suflicient length to reach from the upper end of the said riser or vertical entrance to the drain or sewer to, and into, the said trap 3; and said pipe may be of two sections, or of a plurality of sections, as shown.

Formed in the lower end of said guidingtube 4 is a straight vertical slot 7, which has its lower end open and its upper end closed, but which slot extends upwardly in said tube-wall about six inches, more or less; the lower end of said tube being provided with a common reinforcing ring 8 through which said slot is out.

The edges of said slot are reinforced by a metallic strip 9 secured in position by com-- mon rivets 10, the reinforcements of both tube and slot being for the purpose of protecting the exposed edges of said parts from damage and disfigurement by accidental con tact with obstructions during use.

Formed in the wall of the tube 4, and passing through the said reinforcing strip 9 at a point near the upper end of said slot are two holes 11, which are in about the same horizontal plane.

Formed in the wall of said tube 4 at a point about diametrically-opposite the said slot '7 is another, and longer slot 12, which preferably does not extend to the bottom end of said tube as does the slot 7, and the edges of said longer slot are reinforced by a metallic strip 13 secured in position by rivets, as 10.

The ends of both slots are preferably rounded, as shown, to fit the shape of the said flexible-shaft 5.

Before the said tube is inserted within the said riser 2, the said flexible-shaft carrying the said tool or cutter 6 at its end, should be passed downwardly into the said tube 4,

until the said cutter or tool 6 reaches the lower end of said tube, when said flexible shaft should be bent or curved laterally at a right-angle, as shown in Fig. 1, and placed within said slot 7 with the said cork-screw grapple or cutter 6 extending beyond said slot, upon the exterior of said tube.

Then a suitable tie-wire 14: is inserted through said holes 11, at a point beneath said flexible-shaft, and the ends of said tiewire should be twisted together, to securely tie the same in place, so that said shaft will be seated at the upper end of said slot 7, and will be supported and guided by said tiewlre.

Then the said flexible-shaft is forced into the opposite longer slot 12, which is diametrically-opposite said slot 7, which may be readily done by forcing said shaft clownwardly from the upper end of said tube.

Then the said tube 4, containing the said flexible-shaft 5, is placed in the sewer or drain riser 2, and passed downwardly there in until the lower end of said tube comes into contact with and rests upon the wall of the trap 3. Then, by pushing the said flexible-shaft farther into said tube the shaft will be guided by the walls of said slot 12 and will pass through said slot and engage the adjacent wall of said riser 2, until the proper curve of said shaft is reached, when said cork-screw cutter will be forced through the said trap 3, and will enter the obstructed pipe 1, and will be passed into the same until the obstruction, as a. towel, leaves or other waste articles, is reached. 7

Then, by rotating the said flexible-shaft from its upper (or free) end the said cutter (S will grapple the obstruction, or (if it be a solid article like a brick-bat) move it from its seat, so that the water may carry it off.

Then, if the obstruction does not move out of its seat and pass off through the sewer or drain, it (the obstruction) may be with drawn by the said cork-screw cutter 6, by merely withdrawing the said flexible-shaft, which will carry the obstruction and the cutter to the trap 3, from which they may be readily removed by merely withdrawing the entire apparatus through the said riser 2.

I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction herein shown and described,

as it is clear that the same may be changed by a skilled mechanic, without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sewer and drain opening apparatus, comprising a guiding-tube having a guidingslot formed in it adjacent its end, and having another slot formed in it at a point diametrically-opposite the first-mentioned slot, and a flexible-shaft adapted to enter and engage the walls ofsaid slots and be guided thereby.

2. A sewer and drain opening apparatus, comprising av guiding-tube having diametrically-opposite slots near-one end, one of said slots extending to the end of said tube and being open at that end, and a flexible-shaft adapted to enter the said slots and be guided by the walls thereof when force is exerted longitudinally upon the said shaft exterior of said tube.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a guiding-tube for use in opening sewers and drains, comprising a metallic cylindrical body having diametrically opposite slots in it, and reinforcing-strips of metal riveted to the wall of the tube, to strengthen the walls of said slots.

4E. The herein-described method of opening sewers and drains, which consists in first inserting a flexible-shaft within a guidingtube therefor bending said shaft at a rightangle and passing the bent-portion into a guiding-slot in said tube, so that a cutting or grappling tool carried by said shaft will be located upon the exterior of the tube; then exerting force upon said shaft to bend the same at a point diametrically-opposite the said slot and cause same to enter another guiding-slot at an opposite point in: said name to this specification, in presence of two.

subscribing witnesses. JACOB ALDER, SR.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. HIGDON, JOHN G. HIGDoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents,

' Washington, D, G. 

